Commuting In The Rain



9lines said:
I have always avoided riding while it is raining. I fear contracting the cold virus. I don't like riding while wet and shivering. It is generally not good to my health.
Unless you have a compromised immune system you can't catch the common cold from riding in the rain, you could catch pneumonia if you get wet and cold for a prolong period of time, but that is even rare. Going back to the compromised immune system, this could be from being something simple like being over tired which what happens is your body, after being exposed for a prolong period of time, gets stressed which causes the body to release cortisone which then effects your blood sugar which in turn effects your immune system, then to have all that happen at the same time you come in contact with a cold virus, then you could be more susceptible to catching a cold.

I once rode when the weather was fair, when I left home it was 55 degrees by the time I got 40 miles from home the weather turned to wind blowing head on into me, rain and cold (about 40 degrees, and none of the weather stuff mentioned this) and all I had on was a long sleeve jersey and a light non rain proof jacket; needless to say I got very cold and very wet. I was so cold that when I got home and turned on the hot shower to warm up the hot water felt like it was ice cold, it took about 10 minutes of letting the hot water drench me before I could finally get warmed up enough to feel that the water was indeed warm. I didn't get sick though, why? Because I wasn't over tired and thus my body wasn't in stress even though it was stressed by the time I got that cold, and I wasn't around a cold virus.
 
Slick, slippery roads are dangerous for cars! So, it stands to reason that bike riding in the rain is going to be something one should consider not doing. In addition to the oil slicks from cars, your vision is going to be impaired from the rain coming down. It's not safe.

Riding in the rain around corners is a huge obstacle. If you do a hard brake, you're going to take a spin across your bike and onto the pavement. Bike brakes are less apt to work correctly when they are wet.
 
It has been raining since Tuesday and a neighbor was still biking inside the village. Yesterday the rain was getting nasty as an effect of typhoon Nona (Melor) and I was not surprised when that neighbor came home walking with her bike. She had a spill on the concrete not due to slippery road but due to shivering. She said it was so cold and she lost control of the handlebars. Although we have no winter here, when it rains in December, surely the morning will be cold.
 
I live in the desert southwest and our average annual amount of rainfall is slightly over 8 inches a year. On average, we only have 36 days with precipitation, and some days that can be torrential rain and other days, just a slight drizzle.

We also have what's called "virga" and that's rain that evaporates before it hits the ground. You can feel virga if you're outside.

Because of these desert conditions, when it rains, people go crazy. Motorists forget how to drive. So, riding a bicycle when it's raining is like taking your life in your hands -- risking a terrible accident or worse.
 
I have always tried to avoid rain while riding as much as possible.
However, it happened often that it started raining cats and dogs while I was on my bike, on my way home. Then, I become very mad at the clouds, though I can't do much about it except speed up and peddle faster and faster.
I really do not like being soaked while riding, it is not good for your health, nor it is good for your safety. As most of you argued, roads get slippery, and old roads get muddy, so often one can get stuck with his or her bike in the mud. I would not want that to happen to anyone. Imagine being stuck in the mud, with the rain pouring all over you. Plus, the weather is cold. Terrible
 
I never use my bike when it is raining, mainly for safety reasons and due to the fact I can catch a cold fairly easily.I have even tried commuting with a raincoat on but it isn't working that well either.
 
This thread reminds me that I need to wash the bike. :D

I'll do it "later"... :D

That's my standard response every time I think about washing my bike down aswell! I used to be in the routine of doing it first thing, every time I came back from a ride but in the weather we're having over here lately I was spending more time cleaning it than actually riding it!
 
That's my standard response every time I think about washing my bike down aswell! I used to be in the routine of doing it first thing, every time I came back from a ride but in the weather we're having over here lately I was spending more time cleaning it than actually riding it!


Ι really should wash it. :D The cassette looks like a furball. :D

But I know that as soon as I do its gonna rain. :D
 
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Imagine being that guy! I think it's safe to say if that ever happened to me, especially in the middle of a busy city centre in front of everyone, then my cycling days would be numbered!

I'd have got up and thrown the bike under that bus that's just gone past!
 
Imagine being that guy! I think it's safe to say if that ever happened to me, especially in the middle of a busy city centre in front of everyone, then my cycling days would be numbered!

I'd have got up and thrown the bike under that bus that's just gone past!

Come on, it's a little crazy to be ridding a bike with an umbrella... :D When I ride in the rain I hate getting my back all wet, so I would need an all around umbrella. :)
 
Riding holding an umbrella isn't something that I've ever seen to be honest, and even though I've seen a lot of crazy things, that isn't one of them.

Obviously you have to have the right attire if your relying on a bicycle as your main form of transport regardless of the weather, and I think most people will just opt not to ride at all in bad weather and that's probably the best way of thinking if you don't have wet weather gear you can wear.
 
If we are ridding in the rain we should be prepared to be soaked, that's just how it is. At the end of the ride a shower and dry clothes should be waiting for us. :)
 
There is wet weather gear that you can buy to go over your day clothes if your riding too work for example and while I agree they're not ideal, they do a pretty decent job of protecting you.
 
I agree that they do a decent job, at the same time it all depends on what you have expecting for you at the end of the ride. If we have a place to put the bike and all that I guess we are fine.
 
Here in the UK, a lot of companies now have invested in cycle racks and designated specific areas that their employees can store their bikes.

The government are trying to introduce a cycle to work scheme as well, were they offer discounts on bikes and accessories if you leave the car at home, and that in turn is more or less forcing employers into looking at ways in which they can help also.